Mystery Men (film)
Mystery Men is a 1999 comedy film based on a Dark Horse comic book series feature in Flaming Carrot Comics. Plot In the fictional metropolis of Champion City, three men (Mr. Furious, The Shoveler, and the Blue Raja) attempt to make a name for themselves as superheroes, but find themselves upstaged by the well-sponsored Captain Amazing. However, Amazing is finding that his skill at capturing villains has left the city with virtually no crime, and his sponsors are threatening to end their deals. In order to create a need for a superhero, Amazing uses his alter ego, the billionaire lawyer Lance Hunt, to argue for the release of the insane supervillain Casanova Frankenstein. The plan backfires; once reunited with Tony P and his Disco Boys, Frankenstein blows up the insane asylum, captures Amazing, and sets his sights on creating a doomsday device, the "Psycho-frakulator" which can bend reality. Mr. Furious, while spying on Frankenstein's mansion, discovers Amazing's abduction, and tells the others. The three realize they need more allies, and through word-of-mouth and try-outs, they bring aboard The Spleen, Invisible Boy, and the Bowler. The newly formed team, fumbling over each other, attempt to confront Frankenstein in his limo, but succeed only in annoying him and vandalizing his car. A later attempt to sneak into his mansion to rescue Captain Amazing ends when they inadvertently kill the hero with the Psycho-frakulator. Without Amazing, the team believes there is no way they can save the city. A mysterious man named The Sphinx helps to restore their morale and plan another assault on Frankenstein's mansion. They also enlist the help of non-lethal weapons expert Dr. Heller who provides them with armaments and the parts to make their assault vehicle, the Herkimer Battle Jitney. Mr. Furious, feeling that both his position of authority and his apparent lack of powers are in question, finds solace in talking with Monica, a diner waitress, who tells him to just be himself. Mr. Furious rejoins the team, and they assault the mansion, subduing most of the henchmen with their weapons and using their negligible powers to surprisingly good effect. Unfortunately, as the heroes approach Frankenstein, he reveals that he has kidnapped Monica, then proceeds to activate the Psycho-frakulator and wreak havoc upon the city. As the team figures out how to stop the device, Mr. Furious takes on Frankenstein. After being taunted by and taking a beating from Frankenstein, Mr. Furious unleashes his inner rage and actually manages to fight effectively. He defeats Frankenstein, who is thrown into the core of the Psycho-frakulator and killed by its reality-bending powers. The rest of the team helps the Bowler use her bowling ball (containing her father's skull) to destroy the Psycho-frakulator. They escape the mansion as the device implodes upon itself. As the film closes, the team is interviewed by reporters, begging to know what their team name is. As they argue amongst themselves, one reporter states "Well, whoever they are, the city owes a great debt of gratitude to these Mystery Men", but the others are too busy arguing to hear it. Cast *Ben Stiller as Roy/Mr. Furious *William H. Macy as Eddie/The Shoveler *Hank Azaria as Jeffery/Blue Raja *Kel Mitchell as Invisible Boy *Paul Reubens as The Spleen *Janeane Garofalo as Carol/The Bowler *Wes Studi as The Sphinx *Geoffrey Rush as Casanova Frankenstein *Eddie Izzard as Tony P *Prakazrel Michel as Tony C *Artie Lange as Big Red *Greg Kinnear as Lance Hunt/Captain Amazing *Ricky Jay as Victor Weems *Tom Waits as Dr. A. Heller *Claire Forlani as Monica *Dane Cook as The Waffler *Doug Jones as Pencil Head *Dana Gould as Squeegee Man *Michael Bay as a Frat Boy (the one who asks "can we bring the brewskies?") *Riki Rachtman as a Frat Boy *Goodie Mob as the "Not-So-Goodie-Mob" Production The film was shot in California. External links * Mystery Men (film)